100 not out👏

It sure was a great celebration to honor Mrs. Violet Edwards (fondly known as Miss Vie or Aunt Vie) on her 100th birthday.  

She does not look a day over 75 and the function celebrating the milestone with a splash, was held in Parkland, Florida on Saturday night.

Channel 10 was there and aired this excellent report.

The you tube link is at:

https://youtu.be/DcS95kqOOkE?si=cgPMlIHQVADN7IE4.

I had a great time and took a ton of pictures as usual.😁

You know what was particularly inspiring? The fact that Miss. Vie got all the well deserved accolades while she was alive. As normally people have to die before you are told of their good works. 

And Miss. Vie herself shared some of her secrets to long life and happiness. Laugh a lot, don't worry, maintain a positive outlook on life, be kind and sociable. 

She is by far my most impressive role model and am so happy I was invited to share this milestone.

Great memories.

Famous songbird Marcia Griffith, former backup singer to Bob Marley, pays tribute.

Son-in-law attorney Everett, pays tribute.

Daughter Dr. Christine Edwards with husband Everett 

Jamaica's Consul General Oliver Mair hails Miss Vie.

In-law Dr. Hope Smith admires the cake with Miss. Vie.

In laws Colin (also leader/founder of Tallawah Mento Band) and wife Anette Smith pose with Miss Vie.

Jamaica's celebrated tenor Steve Higgins serenades Miss Vie.

Consul General Mair

Wayne Armond, (left) former leader of Chalice dance band now plays with Tallawah Mento Band led by Colin Smith.

Tariq Smith, Tallawah's drummer.

There was lots of entertainment throughout including music by Tallawah Mentor Band and a Mentalist/ magician?

The "mentalist" used Shadrach for one of his schemes😊

The dance floor was well used all night.

Drop foot, (Shake a leg) yes Miss. Vie👏👏🎂

Marcia Griffiths in action, members of Tallawah Mentor Band behind.

Carol and Shadrach. The huge venue in the background.

Tenor Steve Higgins with Carol 

With my designated driver/friend, Carol.

(Photos by Carol.)

Marcia in action

Happy my grandson came

The guest of honor enjoyed every moment.

When Miss Vie got her Batchelors degree at age 96, (4 years ago: https://joan-myviews.blogspot.com/2022/06/reflections-on-aging.html?m=1,)  she set up a scholarship fund to help needy Jamaicans in her homeland attend the University of the West Indies. For her 100th celebration, Miss Vie requested that invitees contribute to that scholarship fund instead of bringing her gifts.👏👍

Incidentally, we Jamaicans celebrate Senior Citizens Week Sept 24 to 1 October, so Miss Vie outstanding celebration was well timed!

It sure was a great night all round!😊

 The food and general catering service was top of the line, the decorations superb, the entertainment appropriate and enjoyable, and the valet service went like clockwork.

Evening time/Panfest

 It's almost the eve of the Tallawah Mento Band and the Jamaican Folk Review's  historic trip to Ghana to compete in Panafest 2025. 

The taste they gave attendees at the Lauderdale Performing Arts Center was more like a bellyful.

A bellyful of music, laughs, dance,  kumina and happinesses!

Panafest (the Pan African Festival of Arts and Culture), is a biennial event established in Ghana in 1992 to unite Africans in the diaspora and on the continent and celebrate their resilience and African identity. 

Colin Smith, founder of Tallawah Mento Band and a cultural icon in his own right, explains the concept.

Kumina time

The talented cast

Panafest was the brainchild of the late, great Pan Africanist play right/author,  Efua Sutherland.

It has become a landmark festival in Ghana that gives Africans an opportunity to learn from each other wherever they are .

 This years theme is "Ensuring the African Kinship: Our Essence, Our Well-being, Our Prosperity."

Significantly, this is the first time a folkloric Jamaican entry will be involved in this auspicious,  two weeks event. 

 It took the Louise Bennett Coverly Heritage Council to make it happen.

If the taste we in Florida got is anything to go by, our entry will make a huge impact on the minds of Africans at home and abroad. It traces our progress through music and dance, from emancipation to victory.

 The performance also highlighted the contribution of world renowned artists such as Peter Tosh. Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff and the foot stomping energy of kumina music and dance, in uplifting the souls of the once downtrodden people. 

We look forward to our particants  returning home with many medals for this creative, entertaining and educational performance.

Although the crowd of attendees was enthusiastic and participated in song and dance, in my book the numbers fell short of expectation for this important fund-raising event, especially in Florida where so many Jamaicans reside.

Ps. Follow the link below for an excellent review of their performance in Ghana.

https://wiredja.com/index.php/categories/newsberg/culture/africa-the-jamaican-folk-revue-and-tallawah-mento-band-performs-at-cape-coast-castle-ghana-the-heritage-preserved

Ole time sinting indeed

Miss Lou would have been proud. For it was hilarious from start to finish, with splendid backdrops, lively music/dancing, colorful costumes and most importantly, professional acting.

The cast

I say Miss Lou would have been proud as not only were her lyrics, proverbs, and poems all integral parts of the production, but also it was produced by the organization in Florida established to not only keep the culture she held so dear relevant, but also to raise funds to sponsor scholarships to Broward College and the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts in Jamaica.

This outstanding pantomime “Ole Time Sinting Come Back Again’ was written by the late Easton Lee and Norma Darby (former director of Jamaica Folk Review) and first staged in Miramar Florida in 2011.

Consul General Oliver Mair salutes Norma Darby

This latest staging was at the 1000-seat Lauderhill Performing Arts Center in Florida and was a sold-out affair on the first night, Saturday, September 30, 2023. It closes on Sunday, October 1st.

Behind this production, is the dynamic cultural organization, the Louise Bennett-Coverley Heritage Council. It is chaired by the talented Jamaican, Colin Smith who also chairs the musical chorale, the Jamaica Folk Review, most of whose members were the actors in this production. 

Smith is also the founder and leader of Tallawah Mento Band which provided the music for the pantomime. He also directed this production.

Miss Lou was a child of the pantomime, having acted in the first one staged in Jamaica in 1941 and writing, producing, and acting in many others during her active life.

This latest production of 'Ol Time Sinting Come Back Again’ was entertaining from start to finish and elicited audience participation and laughter throughout.

I hope it will be taken on the road throughout the USA, for Jamaicans everywhere deserve to see this production.

I had been a regular pantomime attendee in Jamaica for many decades. Then they became boring to the point where I literally fell asleep in the last one I attended decades ago!

Then Covid came and brought it to an end locally.

Hopefully, this pantomime will be taken to Jamaica too so the younger generation will learn, and good pantomimes will once again become part of Kingston’s entertainment scene.

The late, great Louise Bennett aka Miss Lou

Miss Lou and the younger generation deserve no less. 

Snippets

Politicians giving themselves huge, unwarranted salary increases,  did not escape these two!😊

Keith Stoddart, a musical icon

 

Music lovers of all ages in both Jamaica and Florida know and revere the name Keith Stoddart.

He contributed greatly to the growth and development of Jamaican music as a Treasurer of the Jamaica Federation of Musicians, for decades.

Stoddart left center at his last jam session

A versatile reggae/jazz/blues guitarist, he was a member of the most outstanding local bands in Jamaica including; Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, Kes Chin and the Souvenirs, Sir Horace and the Merry Knights, and Sonny Bradshaw Quartet. 

He spent the last 20 years in Florida as an invaluable member of the cultural group; Tallawah Mento Band in Florida.

Stoddart who was ailing for quite a while, could still be heard playing his guitar almost up to the last. He died on Thursday, 23rd June 2022.

                                                                                                                                            

A musical tribute/jam session has been arranged in his honor by Tallawah Mento Band leader Colin Smith for Friday 1^st July 2022.

Walk good Keith. Your music plays on.

Nice Session

I have lived in Florida for quite a few years now, but know very little about Miami or Dade County in general.

You see I am simply not drawn to concrete, but much prefer natural attractions.

Anyway, since I live here, I do take the opportunity to learn about new places, even downtown, when the opportunity arises.

So, when I heard a favorite band of mine, Tallawah Mento Band would be performing at Griffin Park in North Miami, I had no problem deciding to attend. 

But a city named North Miami? How creative is that?

Anyway as we say in Jamaica, ‘cockroach nuh bisniss inna fowl bisiness’ so let’s move on.

Well at least I never had to drive this time, as I went with friends and it was great company.

Such a relief, for I am very dependent on my GPS when driving in Florida as I know very little about anywhere else outside of Broward County. So, when driving I have to keep so totally alert that I never get to see anything.

This session was literally under the electric tree, as a landmark at Griffin Park is this huge, old (?) very attractive lighted tree.

Griffin Park was established in 2008 as the Veteran's Park it appears.  It has a clock tower with a huge bell underneath a few small plaques recognizing the sacrifices of  the soldiers who were from the community and like most parks, it also has a fountain,

To tell the truth, I was a bit concerned that the event would have to be cancelled because of the huge thunder and rain storm in my city in the afternoon. 

Fortunately,  by the time were ready  to depart, no one could even tell it had rained.

We arrived just about when the band was ready to strike up. 

However, it was not as well attended as one would have expected. Because of the inclement weather, I suppose.

It started a bit slow, as the event was advertised as ‘Caribbean,’ so they had to play music from places like the Bahamas. But shortly after, they transitioned to Mento and Ska, two genres of music designed to get you on your feet.                                                                                                                                

Would you believe though that before we worked up a good sweat, the band stopped playing!

I thought it was intermission, only to learn that the session had ended, as the management of the park had reduced the entertainment package by an hour.

Anyway, we have to be thankful for small mercies as it was really a nice session.

Good entertainment, good food, wine and great camaraderie.

Retirement Reflections

 I love retirement, only wish could have done it from I was around thirty. 

Poverty sucks. 😑

I just realized I have not been blogging about my retirement which started in 2016 when I left my radio talk-show program on Power 106 in Jamaica and moved to the USA. 

You see, most of my family were already there so I eventually gave in to the constant nagging to join them!

A section of the magnificent Rocky Mountains

In retrospect, I enjoyed talk radio so much that I never realized how stressful it was until I retired.

 Lots of people think one just talks off the cuff on radio, but it takes a great deal of preparation as one never knows what a caller is coming with. So, you spend a great deal of time reading, watching and listening to current affairs etc. Now I don't have to do that anymore, life is so much easier. And with Trump out of the way, the news is often quite boring anyway, so I am happy I no longer have to pay much attention to the daily occurrences worldwide!😊

Well for retirement, I set off to Colorado to be with my daughter and granddaughter, forgetting that it just snows too much there. (Up to this week, mid-May it's snowing!😟). 

Yes, Colorado is an extraordinarily beautiful state with mountains, rivers valleys to die for. But I gave up snow decades ago, on fleeing from similar weather in Toronto, Canada.

With my fellow cyclists before heading to the hills. 

I am just not a clothes person. In fact, the less I have to wear, the happier I am. 

There was therefore no way that I was going to spend the rest of my life weighted down under a pile of clothes! 

So, we decided that Florida would be a better option.

Living in Jamaica which is just an hour and half flight to Miami, I thought I was familiar with that state. For I had to go there on occasion to buy basic supplies when the damn communists tried to take over my lovely island in the 70's, so we ended up having severe shortages of the most basic foods.

Also, Miami was where one had to fly to from Jamaica, to make most airline connections to other states and even for international flights.

The theory therefore was that since the weather in Florida was good, I would resume my great outdoor life which involved, hiking and cycling in the mountains and valleys and bathing in the rivers.

With Jennifer, the consummate outdoors person

On arriving in Florida, the first thing I did was to buy a bicycle, only to discover to my horror that Florida has no hills for me to ride up then fly down into the valleys. 

What a shock, not one mountain or valley in sight.

So, my bicycle is nothing but a souvenir now.

The next best thing to do therefore was to try and link up with a hiking group.

At least, there I struck gold. For when I joined the closest "Meet Up" hiking group, I got connected to Jennifer Weise, probably the most knowledgeable outdoors person in the state.

No, we never get to hike up any mountains in Florida, but I sure got to visit a number of their more attractive parks and learned a great deal about the state.

On a recent glamping trip to Hontoon Island in Northern Florida earlier this year, Jennifer virtually saved my life too! For being always unprepared for cold weather, when the temperature there dropped to the 50's, she had a sleeping bag and electric blanket ready to rescue me. (Joan, my views: Hontoon island and more (joan-myviews.blogspot.com)

Lyming with friends after Zumba at Water's Edge Park

Choosing the city of Tamarac to reside in, proved to be a wise move too. 

To begin with, it sits about halfway between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami international airports, so since much of my retirement is committed to travelling as much as I can afford, I can always fly out of wherever I can find the best fares. (one-way tickets to and from Colorado under $100. It's a dream come through!) In fact, if my stupid passport did not arrive late, I would have spent my birthday in Zambia.

Secondly, this city which has a population of less than 80,000, has a real activist/outdoor loving Mayor Michelle Gomez. So often outdoor activities in the parks are organized by the city.

They also have an excellent Senior's Center with lots of good recreational exercise programs.

Kudos to the manager of the center Michelle Sendik who keeps the Center clicking.

Currently, I am filling the gap left by the lack of challenging hiking/cycling activities by participating in things like Kickboxing, Zumba, Yoga, cardio fit etc. 

Coincidentally, my kickboxing tutor is someone I knew decades ago. He is Mark, the son of a former mentor of mine in Jamaica, Hector Wynter, the late editor of the Gleaner, Jamaica's foremost newspaper.  I remember hearing years ago that at about age seven, Mark had been hit off his bicycle and was in a coma. His mom took him abroad for treatment and I had heard nothing further. 

It was therefore a pleasant surprise to see that he had recovered totally, become a professional kickboxer and was now teaching us old people, the art. He is also as excellent a teacher as his late father was, so I am really enjoying kick boxing.

It's a small, small world indeed. 

Anyway, back to activities.

At the Senior Centre, I even learned to play pickleball. This I guess can be best described as senior citizen tennis, but it's fun.

I really don't enjoy playing it on indoor courts though, so now go to nearby Margate to play, when I can find a partner.

We all had a great time at the Kravitz Center

The Tamarac Senior Center also organizes cultural expeditions. Coincidentally, on my birthday last week they were transporting interested parties to the Donna Sommer musical at the Kravitz Center in Boca Raton. I joined friends and acquaintances from the center and travelled to what was a superb performance.

A chocolate cookie with ice cream for my birthday

Everything was well organized by Charlene Nevaomski from the Center, who also arranged dinner beforehand at a marvelous restaurant at True Food Kitchen in Boca.  

When Charlene told the waitress there that it was my birthday, I was presented with a delicious chocolate muffin with ice cream, compliments of the restaurant.

I look forward to many more of these outings.

Another good thing about retiring in Tamarac is that I have reconnected with dozens of friends and family from Jamaica who live all over Broward County.

Some even include high school classmates from many decades ago, with whom I had lost contact.

With  Hampton 'ole' girl Sonja

 

My alma mater is Hampton/Munro, which has an active joint, past-student's Association here.

They have regular 'fun day' activities and last week I dropped in on one at C.B Smith Park in nearby Pembroke Pines and had a wonderful time.

With Horace, President of Munro Old Boys Assn.

Another lucky break since retiring in Tamarac, was reconnecting with my long-lost cousin Barry Smith (Colin).

Barry is a musical genius who plays at least five instruments. Since migrating to Florida, he formed a band/orchestra called Tallawah Mento Band. 

Mento music is as Jamaican as you can ever get, so he is involved in organizing or playing at almost every important Jamaican/Caribbean event in South Florida.

When he heard that I had launched my autobiography "Looking Back.....the struggle to preserve our freedoms" before leaving Jamaica, he insisted that I also do a Florida launch since so many Jamaicans now live here.

Before I knew what was happening, the launch was fully arranged in conjunction with the South Regional Library in Pembroke Pines. 

It was an overwhelming success, and something I could never repay him for. 

(Joan, my views: Florida launch of "Looking back...." (joan-myviews.blogspot.com)

             Members of Tallawah Mento Band/orchestra. (Leader Barry 2nd row with banjo.

Clearly therefore my decision to settle in Tamarac for my retirement, has been good for my health and social life. 

Another plus is that my one and only grandson is here with me, for he too is allergic to cold weather!

It sure was a very lucky break when the realtor got me a nice place here, considering I had never even heard of this city before arriving here!

Yes, retiring in Tamarac has really been a great move.

The only drawback? 

Those damn iguanas.

MISSING THE MOUNTAINS THOUGH!

Red Rock Park in Colorado

Another glorious mountain in Colorado

Section of the John Crow Mountains, Jamaica

The mist-covered Blue Mountains, Jamaica in the background